Working together for standards The Web Standards Project

Tomorrow, May 1st, is Blogging Against Disablism Day. Started by a group of individuals in the UK, last year’s participation included nearly one hundred and fifty blog responses. From the call for participation:

On Tuesday, May 1st—or as near to as you are able—post something on the subject of Disabilism, Ableism, or Disability Discrimination (see Language Amnesty). You can write on any subject, specific or general, personal, social or political, anything which states an objection to the differential treatment of disabled people.

So get out there and make yourself heard, blog, perhaps even design a new logo for the cause (wink). It’s May 1st already in the origin of the Sun, so I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Alex Cavalli, of the IC2 Institute.

With the advance of bio- and nanotechnology, coupled with modern convergent media, we can look forward to the possibility of having the word ‘disabled’ retired from our vocabulary. We will speak, instead, in terms of how enabled we are.

Hat tip: Kathy Keller and Julia Gregory on the Accessibility SIG list.

Your Replies

#1 On May 1st, 2007 6:56 am James Oppenheim replied:

Fantastic idea. Hopefully this will have a lasting affect outside the blogging world.

#2 On May 1st, 2007 6:29 pm My Father’s Daughter Blogging Against Disablism : Faith and Web replied:

[...] Posted by Anna Belle on 01 May 2007 at 04:29 pm | Tagged as: Standards, Accessibility I found out at the eleventh hour (thanks to The Web Standards Project) that today, May 1, is Blogging Against Disablism Day. Normally I make an effort not to rush my posts, since I’m prone to typos, but not today. This matters too much. I care deeply about accessibility, and here’s why. [...]

#3 On May 1st, 2007 8:48 pm Steve Firth replied:

I try and tell people about how accessibility concerns help make one a better designer, benifits of SEO and the like …

that way everyone gets something and it will become habit quicker.

#4 On May 17th, 2007 10:45 am Noah Slater replied:

> we can look forward to the possibility of having the
> word ‘disabled’ retired from our vocabulary

Why would one want to look forward to such an event. If you subscribe to the social model of disability the word “disabled” is used to describe the effect society has on an individual. Removing usage of the word removes recognition of the act.

#5 On June 28th, 2007 2:57 pm Assistive Technology replied:

Is there any news on the results of this years posting?

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